A number of currently available low bit rate vocoders provide an optimized speech coding engine which allows for the hosting of intelligible speech communication in extremely low bandwidth. However, these currently available low bit rate vocoders also introduce a number of shortcomings (ex. —distortion) with respect to the exchange of support information (ex. —non-verbal communication signals) and consequently, may provide a less than desired level of situational awareness.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a communication solution which obviates the above-referenced problems associated with currently available low bit rate vocoders.